flying with frozen meals

[PalVal]

Has anyone ever traveled with pre-made frozen meals for your trip to Disney? I will be staying in a villa and would like to prepare meals in advance for our family vacation to save some $$.

Do you pack meals in an extra checked luggage piece with plastic ice boxes around the food? Do airlines allow this?

Can you bring frozen food in a carry-on? Can you bring a crock pot in your carry-on?

 

[princessjane]

Yes, you can bring frozen food on the plane, I do not recommend checking it, just carry on. I frequently bring frozen kielbasa and homemade frozen Pierogies made for me by my Grandmother. Just no liquids over the 3 oz rule. I use one of those smallish thermal bags with a ice pack in it and never have a problem. as for a crock pot? I guess it depends on how heavy it is. Carry-ons for most airlines have a maximum weight limit. they used to ignore it but now with extra baggage fees they often weigh your carry-on in order to squeeze more money out of you. If it's a smaller crock pot and it can fit in the overhead or under the seat, you should be ok.

 

[n2mm]

I was not allowed to bring the ice packs as a carry on. They were the blue liquid type, but frozen. I had to throw them away.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I was not allowed to bring the ice packs as a carry on. They were the blue liquid type, but frozen. I had to throw them away.

Take empty zip-lock bags and ask for ice when you arrive at the airport's food court - INSIDE security.

We always carry are lunch when we travel to LAX (from BWI) to DL. I add the ice to our little soft-sided cooler after we are through security.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

People check large, duct-taped hard sized igloo coolers all the time. Just make sure it's under the weight/size restriction for your airline.

 

[n2mm]

Take empty zip-lock bags and ask for ice when you arrive at the airport's food court - INSIDE security.

We always carry are lunch when we travel to LAX (from BWI) to DL. I add the ice to our little soft-sided cooler after we are through security.

Thanks for the tip. Just made me giggle because I wasn't bringing food with me....heavens, we rent a car and would never go to Disney without a rental car as we find our way up to publix about 4 or 5 times during a trip. I can't imagine packing food with me for a trip, heck there is only so much room in my suitcase as it is. (Our trip last month my suitcase weighed in at 50.1 pounds and the rep said she would let it slide...whew.) I had a ruptured disc in my back and tried to take cold pack with me for comfort. I had to throw it away. (This was after 9/11 but before the more relaxed rules.)

 

[PalVal]

I wanted to make some complete meals ahead of time and freeze them. Meatballs, sauce, chili, casseroles, etc. We will have 8 in our villa and I don't want to spend a lot of time cooking. With very young grandchildren it's not always possible to go out to eat every night. Sometimes home cooked meals just taste better when you are with family. I also like to cook fresh turkey breast in my crock pot. It makes great hot turkey sandwiches - so moist and yummy!

We also order from Garden Grocer for breakfast stuff and snacks, but I like my own meals for dinner. We eat lunch in the parks.

I think I will use the soft sided cooler idea and carry my meals on if it is allowed. We will have enough people traveling with us to bring a few soft coolers. It's a three hour flight from NH so I think the meals will stay mostly frozen.

Just to be safe I might call Southwest to see if I can bring meals in a carry-on.

 

[tjmw2727]

The issue is not so much the meals but you can't bring liquid through security in quantities over 3.4oz and only as much as fit into a quart size baggie, 1 baggie per person.

So the sauce is definately out as is ice or ice packs so I don't know how they would stay frozen. You could pack them in ice - throw the ice away before you go through security and then ask for ice from a vendor I suppose?

SWA isn't the controling factor here it is the TSA - so even if they tell you its allowed onboard you may not get the food through security.

I would spend some time here at the TSA website so your familiar with the restrictions and policies before you fly.
Here is the section on food

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/holiday.shtm

Here is the section on liquid

http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm

It would be a shame to spend all that time cooking and the $ for the food and have to discard it or send it back home.

TJ

 

[JoeCathyAngelina]

We rent a car and would never go to Disney without a rental car.
We find our way to publix, Winn-Dixie and a Liquor store about 2 or 3 times during a trip.
I can't imagine packing food other than lunch and snacks for the plane ride with me for a trip. The prices there are very resonable.
Good Luck All,
Joe

 

[dis2cruise]

If I would bring frozen spagetti sauce with meatball could I bring this as a carryon even though the sauce is frozen??

 

[ancestry]

If I would bring frozen spagetti sauce with meatball could I bring this as a carryon even though the sauce is frozen??

I don't think you can. Like a previous poster mentioned they had to throw out the ice-packs even though they were frozen.

 

[n2mm]

I don't think you can. Like a previous poster mentioned they had to throw out the ice-packs even though they were frozen.

The ice pack was a no go. I had to throw it away. Maybe if I had my MRI summary with me they might make the exception, but not worth it. However, if you need a small ice pack to keep meds cold then they will let that through as we travelled with our granddaughter a couple of years ago and she was still taking the last of some amoxicillian. That is the only way ice packs are allowed.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

My suggestion is to locate one of those 'make your own frozen dinner' places in Orlando; something similar to the Dinner Studio, etc. Pick a number of meals for the length of your trip and pay for the personal chef and delivery service. In my area, the personal chef is free and delivery is only $5. Do your research. Have them deliver your meals the afternoon you arrive or the next morning. The cost is reasonable and the food is actually quite good.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

If I would bring frozen spagetti sauce with meatball could I bring this as a carryon even though the sauce is frozen??

Not as a carry on.

 

[goofy4tink]

For me it would be way too much trouble. But others may enjoy that sort of thing. You won't be able to do it with carryon luggage. I would pack a cooler with ice packs and the frozen foods. Then check the cooler.

I have friends that just flew to Ca a few days ago. Grandma was obsessing over trying to keep the sandwiches cold. They are flying with two kids one of whom is diabetic. I told her to use something that was already frozen. She took out an ice pack gel thingie...no, that won't work for carryon. Oh, she says. What else? Frozen corn or peas will work I told her. Of course she had none. She finally came up with some frozen cranberries. Told her to dump them into a ziploc baggie and put them in with the sandwiches.
Carryon is hard, checked is much easier.
But then again, like I said..way too much work for me. I'm on vacation, I'm not cooking. If I make a hot dog in my villa I would be surprised. But I know plenty of people that cook full course meals in the villas...just not me. Vacation means never having to cook a meal, or clean up from one!!!

 

[CPT Tripss]

I'm sure the TSA bag screeners will really enjoy a nice home cooked lunch for a change. Try not to make anything that will smell up the break room.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Vacation means never having to cook a meal

Ah, rats. Too bad you've already been "tagged". This one would be perfect for the Tag Fairy!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Now think about it.
If for some reason you can't bring it through security then you have wasted your time to cook it, wasted the money to buy it only to have security tell you NO! Besides the sauce is a liquid and would not make it through security!

Now you are left with buying food when you get there. So why chance the possiblity that your saving money will end up costing you even more because you now have to throw out food and buy food when you get there.
IMO I would go to the grocery store when I get there. You can get rotisseri chickens already cooked and sides to go with it if you don't want to spend time cooking. Frozen meatballs can be added to pasta & sauce and not take much effort. Pick up a bag of salad and dressing. Buy enough meatballs and sauce and make subs sandwiches. Pizza is another quicky... be it a delivered one or one you pick up at the store.

I wanted to make some complete meals ahead of time and freeze them. Meatballs, sauce, chili, casseroles, etc. We will have 8 in our villa and I don't want to spend a lot of time cooking. With very young grandchildren it's not always possible to go out to eat every night. Sometimes home cooked meals just taste better when you are with family. I also like to cook fresh turkey breast in my crock pot. It makes great hot turkey sandwiches - so moist and yummy!

We also order from Garden Grocer for breakfast stuff and snacks, but I like my own meals for dinner. We eat lunch in the parks.

I think I will use the soft sided cooler idea and carry my meals on if it is allowed. We will have enough people traveling with us to bring a few soft coolers. It's a three hour flight from NH so I think the meals will stay mostly frozen.

Just to be safe I might call Southwest to see if I can bring meals in a carry-on.

 

[PalVal]

Okay, you talked me out of it...I'll just use garden grocer and have them deliver to my room...but...I'll still bring my crock pot and make my meals before we leave for the park! I don't have the opportunity to cook for my family that often ( they now live in different states) and they really look forward to some of my home cooked meals. The parks are fun for us, but time as a family sitting around the table with one of "mom's meals" is just as much fun and important to us.

 

[goofy4tink]

Exellent solution. Would you mind sharing the types of meals you make in the Crock-Pot when at WDW? For some insane reason, my adult dd (33) thinks I'm nuts to eat out for almost every meal. She thinks there should be more eating in our villa...seems that's what her dad and step-mom do when they vacation. So, I'm curious as to what folks prepare when there, at WDW.